To discuss Cebu rehab plans Ping, Cabinet members to meet local leaders

CEBU, Philippines - President Aquino’s Cabinet members, including Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery chief Panfilo Lacson,  are expected to meet with local government leaders whose areas were affected by super typhoon Yolanda on Friday.

Vice President Jejomar Binay may also be present in the meeting.

The meeting will be held in a hotel in Cebu City.

“Last Saturday I met the staff of Senator Lacson and according to her, moari ang mga cabinet secretaries, sila (Budget Secretary Florencio) Abad, (Department of Social Welfare and Development) Secretary Dinky Soliman, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio) Singson, and even the vice president (Jejomar Binay),” said Davide in an interview with reporters.

Davide said the meeting, which is set at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino Cebu City, will be a presentation of the rehabilitation plans for all local government units affected by Yolanda.

He said the governor of Leyte and the mayors of the cities of Tacloban and Iloilo are also coming over.

The governor said the cabinet secretaries of various departments will be there as they will be discussing in that meeting the different aspects—housing, social welfare, education, infrastructure and others—in the rehab works.

He said he hopes after the funds will be released shortly after the meeting, especially that there are still school buildings which were damaged by Yolanda that have yet to be repaired.

Earlier, Davide admitted he is also getting frustrated on the bureaucracy in the national government.

The province is said to be the first to file its rehab budget of around P2 billion months ago and until now, nothing has come out of it.

Nevertheless, the governor said the national government has been helping northern Cebu, just like the relief operations that came shortly after the storm and others. — (FREEMAN)